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Mountain Biking

Castlegar offers something for every type of cyclist, whether you prefer roads, singletrack or something in between.

For those who prefer asphalt, the beautiful Broadwater Road from Robson to Syringa Provincial Park is a local favourite as it follows the shoreline of Lower Arrow Lake.

If mountain biking is more your thing, this area of British Columbia boasts world-class trails and Castlegar is no exception. For the hardcore downhill riders there’s Awakener, for example, with it’s huge gap jumps and technical rock sections.

If you prefer fast and flowy, though, the Hail Merry trail won’t disappoint: not only is it a fun trail to ride for intermediate to expert riders, it’s also a showpiece that boasts some of the most beautifully designed structures to ever grace a bike trail.

Families can visit the new three-acre bike park located in the heart of Castlegar and try out the flow area, dirt jumps and pump track. Or you can travel the mellow C&W Rail Trail, an abandoned railway bed that’s now part of the Trans-Canada Trail system. It winds its way from Castlegar to Christina Lake (and beyond) and is famous for its tunnels and trestles.

How to Get Here: There are many areas in and around Castlegar that cater to all forms of mountain biking. For those who are into mellow, flowy singletrack, the four “Merry” trails on Merry Creek FSR just West of the city are perfect. But if you’re into something a bit more burly, there are two excellent trails off Rialto FSR near Arrow Lake, called Awakener and Grandiflorium. Within the city limits is a four-acre bike park that features a pump track and mellow beginner trails within the grounds of Millennium Park.

Weather: Because Castlegar enjoys so much sun throughout the year, the biking season can start as early as March and go right through to November. Singletrack mountain bike trails that are higher in elevation are typically free of snow by May.